The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of geranium, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Fisruby’.
‘Fisruby’ is a product of a planned breeding program which had the objective of creating new ivy geranium cultivars with semi-double to double-type flowers, zoned foliage, and about medium sized, well-branched growth habit, in various flower colors.
‘Fisruby’ originated from a hybridization made by the inventor, Angelika Utecht, in a controlled breeding program in Hillscheid, Germany, in 1998. The female parent was the unpatented plant no. 93-361-15, having red, semi-double flowers, very early beginning of flowering, deep green foliage and vigorous, well-branched plant habit. The male parent of ‘Fisruby’ was the unpatented hybrid pant no. 94-1418-1, characterized by violet, single-type flowers, leaves with distinct zonation, and about medium tall plant habit.
‘Fisruby’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Angelika Utecht in 1999 in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Fisruby’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in the fall of 1999 in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal, by, or under the supervision of, Angelika Utecht.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in May of 2000 in Hillscheid, Germany, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Fisruby’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.